The 20 Best 2015 Stadium Club Cards I got from JustCommons

It was only a matter of time.

Once 2015 Stadium Club hit the stands, it was like Ryan Gosling pulling up to a beach. The outcome was inevitable. I was bound to pick up some of that sweet, well-lauded product, just as quickly as Gosling's shirt would be thrown onto the towel.

Before you ask, yes, I do adore this set. I do adore the photography, the cardstock, the finish, etc. I've only gotten a bunch of commons of it at JC, so I don't know anything about relics or inserts, or any of that.

I got a bunch of base cards, but I'm gonna show you the 20 best ones I pulled, in no particular order. Werth makes it 21, but I needed a good header photo.

Good one to start with.

I, as a Yankees fan, was a bit frustrated with last year's Stadium Club set, in that all the new Yankees (McCann, Ellsbury, Beltran) all got wide, zoomed in, pedestrian shots. I was kind of disappointed to see people like Jose Reyes and Jayson Werth have all the fun, while the Yankees got sort of ripped off. This year, none of that.

This shot of Tex pretty much redeems Topps for that last bit of nonsense. It's the kind of photo I'd use for a custom. Glad they made it a landscape, too.

I think Nick from Dime Boxes brought this one up, or tweeted it, but I kind of knew I needed to have it. This is pretty unheard of for Topps, including a current photo of a player in a set full of current players and old photos of former players. The Eckersley is also pretty current. But...this is Banks getting a medal from President Obama, within a year of his untimely death. It's a gorgeous card, but it means so much, especially just leaving Obama in the background.

(By the way, this marks the second Stadium Club set in a row to feature President Obama)

Pretty similar to the Jose Reyes one from last year, but including the catcher and ump in the mix does add a touch more perspective.

Looks like something off an SI cover from 1997. Excellent stuff. I love the idea of putting 90's stars in these sets, but putting a bit of variety in there. I-Rod is not a quintessential 90's star (though I'm pretty sure he's a Hall of Famer), but he's a nice, quirky addition to this checklist, like Albert Belle and Ron Gant (and Bip Roberts)

Best part about getting great cards like this is that Pence is a guy I collect. Also, the look on all these kids' faces is amazing. They all LOVE Pence, and they all love that he's signing their stuff. I remember his year in Philly, there were tons of Pence shirts going around my high school. He's a fun player.

Just an awesome casual shot. He's just peeking 'round the corner, checking out what's going on.

CHUTLEY! A very dramatic shot, accented by some subtle filtering, and the depth of those stairs. The mirror also adds a lot.

Excellent shot from Konerko's last game. Says a lot about the White Sox fans, their devotion to this guy.

This card is awesome enough just being black and white. It's also an awesome shot, and it's also a rare shot of Cepeda as a Cardinal. Don't find those everyday.

There is so much to love in this shot. The sky, the stadium, the smile on Springer's face, the uniform. Just spectacular.

Love those old Pirates uni's. Pops looks so happy. Man, I really do applaud the inclusion of black and white into this set, because it really helps, and it captures emotion surprisingly well, and dates the photos a bit. Gives it a very retro feel, which is something I didn't think Stadium Club could pull off.

The angle makes this shot so great. If this were a vertical it wouldn't be this good. The fact that it's at this angle, and it's a landscape, makes it truly great. The spotlight affecting the rest of the shot is also a great touch.

This has been on a bunch of blogs, but I have to show this. This is perfect in so many ways.

Making this one a vertical helps it a lot, too. The joy becomes so much more real. Plus, you get more detail to the custard.

Taken right after he pitched a no-hitter against my Phillies. Also, counts as a sunset shot, and definitely beats any other nominee for 'best one'.

Early candidate for best card of the year. Last year we had a beloved pitcher riding a horse. Now we have a beloved pitcher playing golf. I truly adore this set.

Great shot of Molly. I love the helmet just barely staying on his head.

Never turn down another Crime Dog. I think this one took place in the '96 (or '95) World Series. Zoomed back juuuust far enough.

I don't know why, but this reminded me of an Upper Deck card. If they were still making licensed products today, this might be what their inaugural 'Max Scherzer as a National' card might look like.

Probably the most important baseball card that will be released this year.

A current, black and white, card of the two first African-American players in the NL and AL, chatting, sharing a friendly conversation, bats in hands. That's so good. I don't know if they're gonna be able to top that.

Excellent stuff, Topps. Well done. Keep up the excellent work.